


With Our Hearts Designed To Love

by whiteblankpage



Category: Hockey RPF
Genre: Domestic Fluff, Kid Fic, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-30
Updated: 2018-03-30
Packaged: 2019-04-14 18:14:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14141715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/whiteblankpage/pseuds/whiteblankpage
Summary: “Holy shi-” He swallowed the curse as big brown eyes looked up at him.Connor opened his mouth once, twice- just. That was anentire child, chilling in the backseat of Freddie’s car. She had honest-to-God pigtails and strawberry blond curls and she kept giving Connor the most adorable stink eye.---Freddie Andersen, Elite Goaltender, Toronto Maple Leaf, and Single Father.





	With Our Hearts Designed To Love

**Author's Note:**

> If you've found this by googling your name please go away. You don't want this. I don't want you here. Pretend this website isn't real. Take a nap, score some sweet goals and be cool. Ain't nothing to see here.

\---

Objectively, Connor knew he had a terrible car.

It was that confusing shade between pea green and a possible blue if you squint and everything that could break down had been broken thrice over. He’d replaced the battery three times in the last two years and the windshield when Willy threw a snowball at him and cracked the corner like the heartless hoodlum he is.

Auston had laughed himself to tears when Connor had picked him up last season, but at least Connor knew how to wear socks in his shoes like a normal person.

He just really loved his Honda Civic. Not in that Strange Addictions kinda way but fondly, with like, nostalgia. She’d been his first car even if she’d always been terrible- Connor wouldn’t have been a Leafs fan for so long if he gave up on terrible things.

Of course, he might not be an actual Leaf for long if Wanda didn’t freaking start. You could get away with a lot during practice but being late was begging to be scratched.

Wanda struggled to turn over, whining high as Connor flooded the engine with gas and desperation. He could just see the highway filling with cars and Josh telling him all about the best nights to get nachos in the press box.

With one last whine, Wanda fell silent and refused to even try.

“Nooo,” Connor said, leaning forward to smack his head against the steering wheel. “I should’ve renamed you Reemer.”

The mostly unused Uber app on his phone was buried somewhere in an off-screen apps section. Connor took five entire minutes to reset his account before calling for a ride to the Leafs practice arena.

Then he waited.

And waited.  
And waited.

“Heeeeellllllooooo,” Connor muttered as he sent his text. “Where are yooooou??”

Three minutes later, his Uber was “ lost :(“

Because of course, this was just Connor’s life now. Hell was being stuck in a broken car while time slowly ticked away his entire hockey career.

Canceling his ride, Connor pulled up Marns and Matts. If anyone would drive out of their way to pick up a wayward teammate….well, Connor would probably call Mo or Mac or even Uncle Leo before he got to Mitchy.

 **Brownie:** ( 7:48 am) _pls tell me someone else is as fucked as_ _i am_  
**Mitchy:** (7:48 am) _depends_  
**Brownie** : (7:49 am) wanda _has betrayed me_  
**Matts** : (7:49 am) _suxk_ x _bro_  
**Matts** : (7:49 am) _suxks_  
**Matts** : (7:49 am) _fucking whatever call an uber_  
**Brownie** : (7:50 am) _i did i think he’s lost in Markham_  
**Brownie** : (7:50 am) _tell me you can swing by_  
**Brownie** : (7:50 am) _i’ll buy_ tims  
**Mitchy** : (7:52 am) _we’re already here_  
**Mitchy** : (7:52 am) _because my car isn’t old_  
**Mitchy** : (7:53 am) _and we’re responsible adults_  
**Matts** : (7:55 am) _he wanted timbits before tape_  
**Mitchy:** (7:55 am) _I GOT 20 AND YOU ATE 13 MATTS_  
**Mitchy:** (7:55am) _13!!!!!_  
**Mitchy** : (7:56 am) _thats unfair!!!!!_

It really was unfair but Connor didn’t want to venture down that road at this very moment.

 **Brownie** :( 7:58 am) _anyone else u think???_  
**Mitchy** :( 7:58 am) _uhh maybe freds??_  
**Matts** :( 7:58 am) _he has that thing this morning tho_  
**Mitchy** : (7:59 am) _yeah but u can ask_  
**Matts** :( 7:59 am) _....yeah_

Connor really didn’t want to inconvenience Freddie, especially because his car crapped out. Nothing screamed dependable adult like being stranded at your own home because you’re too attached to your eleven-year-old car to buy a more reliable one.

 **Mitchy** :( 8:03 am) _Babs is moody_  
**Mitchy** : (8:03 am) _probably because matts ate all the powdered timbits_  
**Matts** :(8:04am) _no regrets_  
**Mitchy** : (8:04 am) _NOT EVEN ONE????_

Connor left his teammates to flirt in the rookie group text while he summoned up every bit of courage in his body to text Freddie and beg for a ride.

 **Brownie** :( 8:07 am) _Hey, Freddie- I need a huge favour. Car’s dead. Mitchy said you might be swinging my way- could I beg for a ride?_  
**Brownie** :( 8:07 am) _If not, it’s cool! I’ll just- figure it out._  
**Freddie** :(8:09 am) _…..fine._

Because that wasn’t ominous at all. Connor debated replying and calling the whole thing off. Edmonton was a lovely city- well, no it wasn’t but Connor would cry and deal.

 **Freddie** :( 8:10 am) _I’ll be there in 5 minutes. Be ready._

Connor grabbed his bag out of the back seat and left Wanda to her shame. It wasn’t unbearably cold despite it being February in Toronto but before long the wind made his nose and cheeks bright red.

True to his word, Freddie pulled up to the curb in no time at all, peering out his windshield at Connor like he was nervous. Connor gave him a grateful smile and tried to wave, nearly dropping his phone and- look, it wasn’t that Freddie was scary or intimidating because he was mean. He was a very large man and Connor could appreciate that. Large and in charge. You needed an impressive wingspan to carry the team most nights.

Freddie was just so cool. It always felt a bit like he was asking his crush to the prom any time Freddie gave him the time of day.

Connor hurried around to the passenger’s front door, already talking as he dropped into the front seat. “Hey, Freds- thank you so much. I tried an Uber and Mitchy but they’d already left and I was honestly out of options-”

“It’s okay. I was in the area.” Freddie said quietly, flicking on his blinker.

“Yeah? You thinking of moving this way?” Connor asked, clipping his seatbelt on and shuffling back into his seat. Freddie’s SUV was toasty after a morning out in the cold.

Freddie shrugged just as a loud BANG came from the backseat and Connor let out a genuine shriek of alarm.

“Holy shi-” He swallowed the curse as big brown eyes looked up at him.

Connor opened his mouth once, twice- just. That was an entire child, chilling in the backseat of Freddie’s car. She had honest-to-God pigtails and strawberry blond curls and she kept giving Connor the most adorable stink eye.

Connor whipped back around to stare unseeing at the road ahead. Because that was a kid- chilling in the backseat. An unknown child, even. Did Freddie know she was there- Connor opened his mouth and immediately snapped it shut again. Of course, he had to know- it was a baby. There was a car seat and cheerios. That required planning, and forethought.

Unless Freddie was like, Ubering her somewhere? But why would a baby even need an Uber? Why would Freddie be a baby Uber? Had he forgotten her parents? Had he stolen her?

Connor reflexively grabbed his bag, as if he was going to launch himself out of the moving car of his teammate who he really hoped hadn’t stolen an actual child.

Freddie cleared his throat in the tense silence, hands tightening on the leather of his steering wheel. “If you’re going to say something, I’d appreciate it if you waited until we drop my daughter off at daycare.”

“She’s yours?” Connor blurted out, immediate and full of relief.

Freddie’s gaze flickered from the road, frowning. “Whose did you think she was?”

“I….got nothing. I was genuinely worried you’d maybe stolen a baby. Accidentally. Because I don’t think you’d steal one on purpose. Probably. I was more sure of that before today, honestly.” Connor was going to eat his entire hand before this ride was over if it would keep his mouth shut.

Freddie’s whole body seemed to relax as he realized Connor wasn’t disapproving so much as legitimately dumbfounded. “Nathalie, would you like to say hello?”

For a clear, actual moment of time, Connor thought Freddie was calling him ‘Nathalie’ before a small voice in the back muttered, “...no.”

Freddie bit his lip, laughing at the devastating fact that the cute little girl already didn’t like Connor. “His name is Brownie.”

Nathalie perked up, giving Connor a good long look. “Cookie?”

Connor stuck his hand out for an automatic fist-bump. “Sure. Cookie.”

Nathalie gave his hand a startled look and kicked him in the wrist instead. “I like cookies,” she said, matter-of-fact, before going back to smashing the shit out of what looked like powdered cheerios.

“Pretty sure she thinks I’m the worst,” Connor said quietly, rubbing at his wrist.

“She bit Auston the first time he tried to talk to her,” Freddie replied, weirdly fond of the fact that his kid bit Auston Matthews. “That was downright nice for your first introduction.”

Connor tried to imagine Auston dealing with a child biting him before the words caught up with him. “Okay wait- Auston? Did everyone know you have a kid and I just like, forgot?”

Freddie was silent for so long, Connor started to apologize when he spoke. “More people know than don’t. Management, training staff, Babs. A few of the older guys on the team. It isn’t a secret,” he said, flicking the blinker to turn off the highway. “I’d just rather keep it low-key. Or as low-key as possible in Toronto.”

“Toronto!” Nathalie suddenly shouted, arms in the air like she was celebrating a goal.

“Toronto!” Connor replied, copying her raised arms. Nathalie laughed at him and kept up shouting words and raising her arms so Connor would copy her.

Freddie kept suspiciously silent as his daughter shouted something Connor was pretty sure was in Danish and got huffy when Connor couldn’t get the pronunciation down right.

He didn’t even notice they’d come to a stop until Nathalie put her arms down and immediately sent Freddie the saddest look Connor had ever seen. Sarah Mclachlan would be proud.

“Daddy, no.”

“Natty-Bear,” Freddie said, taking off his seatbelt so he could turn to fully face his daughter. “I’ll be back before you can miss me. Just practice today.”

Nathalie pushed her finger through the crushed cheerios, pouting. “Promise? No takes?”

“No take backs,” Freddie replied, reaching back to hook his entire pinky finger in Nathalie’s hand. “Cheer up, Ms. Shelley promised muffins if you were a good girl today.”

“I’m always a good girl,” Nathalie said, pulling on the straps of her car seat. “No fights. Promise.”

Freddie gave Connor a quick nod. “I’ll be right back.”

Connor watched him undo the frankly terrifying number of clips and harnesses as Nathalie reached up to hook herself around his neck.

“Bye, Cookies!” she shouted just as Freddie grabbed the tiniest backpack Connor had ever seen. It was possible he was having a crisis.

“Bye….child!” Connor called, wincing as Freddie laughed at him and shut the door.

It was weird, sitting in the silence as he watched Freddie walk away, smiling softly at his daughter. Like he’d gone to bed last night and woken up in a world where Freddie had a purple car seat in the back of his SUV and carried a small Hello Kitty backpack and a kid.

A small lady with a high ponytail and a warm smile greeted Freddie and Nathalie at the gate and Connor watched as a complicated round of negotiating happened between Nathalie and the lady who probably had the muffins.

Conor felt his like, actual heart clench when Nat turned away from her open arms, tucking her head up under Freddie’s chin and clinging to his coat. Freddie’s hand came up to cup the back of her head as they spoke quietly and with one last tight hug, Nat let herself be taken away.

Freddie watched them disappear behind the big gated wall, shoulders slumping as he turned back towards the car. Connor averted his gaze, pretending to fool around on his phone as Freddie slipped back behind the wheel.

“She likes daycare,” Freddie said into the too long silence. “She just hates when I have to go away.”

Like he had to justify it to Connor who had never taken care of more than his cat. “Daycare? Wouldn’t a fancy nanny be easier?”

“Daycare is good for her- helps with social skills and problem-solving. She’s already learning to count.” Freddie replied, smiling proudly.

Connor looked away from Freddie to stare wordlessly at the daycare. “Holy shit, you’re like, a real dad.”

“Did the child not tip you off?” Freddie was definitely chirping him.

“It seems less likely you stole her when I accept that you’re like, a legit dad.” Connor didn’t care if it didn’t make sense- he didn’t drop into Freddie’s life with a baby.

“What happens on road trips?” he asked, curious.

“Fancy nanny,” Freddie replied with a smirk.  
“Wow, okay so the entire Andersen clan is mocking me this morning,” Connor said as Freddie pulled back out onto the highway. “What happened to red-head solidarity?”

“Maybe after you fix that haircut.”

Connor squawked in outrage even as he fought a smile. “Pull over, I’m walking. I’m calling HR- this is discrimination.”

Freddie laughed, clicking on the blinker and turning onto the exit to the practice rink. “It’s fine, Shanny always has the good cookies in his office.”

“Schmoozing with the big bosses?” Connor laughed, unbuckling his seat belt.

“Shanny’s a good guy,” Freddie said with a small shrug. “He likes to keep updated on how we’re settling in. Listen, Connor...”

Freddie drummed his thumbs on the top of the steering wheel, choosing his words carefully. “I would appreciate it if you didn’t tell anyone about Nathalie. I’m not...ashamed of her but there would be a lot of questions and I’d prefer to be the one to explain the answers to those questions to my daughter.”

“Yeah, of course,” Connor said softly, feeling the mood shift. It was heavy- the secret and the trust Freddie had decided to put in him. “Don’t worry, man- I’ve got your back.”

\-----

 

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to R for proofreading and yelling at me to get this done at all. (There was a lot of yelling.) Also to the GC who always indulge me when I get talking about one idea or another. Y'all are the best.


End file.
